Page 94 of Tashama
“One of the order of the Bachava, sire.” Carissian drew close to the bed. “What did the woman want?”
“She came here?” the prince asked.
“Yes, sire,” Carissian said.
“She struck at me—stupid, stupid, stupid woman, she called me.” Tashama balled her hands into fists and struck the feather mattress.
Carissian rubbed his forehead. “This doesn’t sound good, Your Highness.”
“Oshon killed Bachava…no, no, Balthazar is dead, oh, Balthazar.” Tears ran down Tashama’s cheeks, and she groaned with grief.
“She’s confused. The drug has confused her.”
The prince touched Tashama’s hand and then squeezed it gently. “What did the Bachavin woman want, Tashama?”
Tashama shook her head. “He’ll marry her, but who will marry me? He won’t marry me, he won’t.”
“Oshon?” The prince’s voice rose in disbelief as Carissian touched his shoulder.
“She’s confused. Some of what she says, she repeats as truth. Some, she confuses in her mind.”
“Oshon will marry the Bachavin woman he met in the temple?”
“No, here.” She wrinkled her face in disgust. “She, she, she, no, Balthazar,” Tashama sobbed.
“She sees images of Balthazar as he flies through the air due to the circulation of an unbelievable force, such as that of a wind elemental gone awry, and then the sorcerer vanishes from her sight. The hooded woman haunts her, and she believes the woman is taking her away.”
“Did she try to drown Tashama?” The prince touched her still-wet hair as it fell over her shoulder.
“Tashama,” Carissian said, “did the Bachavin woman push you into the water?”
“Tell a lie, lie, she said, tell a lie, Oshon,” Tashama whispered, then shook her head. “I cannot tell a lie…I won’t…no…I cannot…Oshon said, he said…”
“Oshon was going to turn you over to Loran if…”
“Oh, Valmor,” Tashama said.
“Oshon, Tashama. Oshon was going to turn…”
“Lies, no.” Tashama squirmed on the mattress. “Marry him, okay, marry him, no lies.”
“She wanted you to tell lies about Oshon?”
“Balthazar.” Tashama raised her hands to her face and sobbed aloud.
“Can my healer give her something to calm her?”
“I’ll be right back, sire.” Carissian vanished.
The prince caressed Tashama’s arm, then turned to Listra. “Leave us.”
“But I am not properly dressed, Your Highness. Where would you have me go?”
“Step into the hall for a moment.”
Listra frowned at the prince as she held her robe tightly, then hurried out of the room.
“Tashama.” Aleron pulled her hands away from her face. He kissed her lips softly, and as her breathing calmed, he pressed her harder. She kissed him back this time, and he stopped, then stared at her. “Tashama?”
